Cultural historian and historical consultant Katy Layton-Jones grew up in South Manchester. Originally an art historian, she received her B.A. in fine art and art history from Goldsmiths, University of London. As a postgraduate, she changed both subject and institution and completed an M.Phil. in eighteenth-century history at the University of Cambridge. She remained at Cambridge for her Ph.D., which focused on popular images of British towns in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Katy is an Elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Since 2008, Katy has been based at the Centre for Urban History, University of Leicester, where she now holds a research post. Katy currently lectures for the Open University and has taught subjects ranging from the history of London to Worlds’ Fairs, urban conservation, and the birth of consumer society. She is a member of the International Advisory Board for Urban History, published by Cambridge University Press. Between 2015 and 2017 she served on the advisory panel for the AHRC-funded The Future Prospects of Urban Parks research project at the University of Leeds and is now a Board Advisor for The Parks Alliance.

Katy divides her time between London and Oxfordshire.

Lesser-known facts

Katy’s first job was as a Saturday girl at Greggs the Bakers. She earned £2.50 an hour but got discounted buns.

Katy represented her college on University Challenge. She maintains that their failure to win was due to an indefensible number of questions about chemical compounds.

In 2001 Katy rowed in Corpus Christi College’s women’s VIII. This is the only documented case of her participating in competitive sport since 1987.

Cultural historian and historical consultant Katy Layton-Jones grew up in South Manchester. Originally an art historian, she received her B.A. in fine art and art history from Goldsmiths, University of London. As a postgraduate, she changed both subject and institution and completed an M.Phil. in eighteenth-century history at the University of Cambridge. She remained at Cambridge for her Ph.D., which focused on popular images of British towns in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Katy is an Elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Since 2008, Katy has been based at the Centre for Urban History, University of Leicester, where she now holds a research post. Katy currently lectures for the Open University and has taught subjects ranging from the history of London to Worlds’ Fairs, urban conservation, and the birth of consumer society. She is a member of the International Advisory Board for Urban History, published by Cambridge University Press. Between 2015 and 2017 she served on the advisory panel for the AHRC-funded The Future Prospects of Urban Parks research project at the University of Leeds and is now a Board Advisor for The Parks Alliance.

Katy divides her time between London and Oxfordshire.

Lesser-known facts

Katy’s first job was as a Saturday girl at Greggs the Bakers. She earned £2.50 an hour but got discounted buns.

Katy represented her college on University Challenge. She maintains that their failure to win was due to an indefensible number of questions about chemical compounds.

In 2001 Katy rowed in Corpus Christi College’s women’s VIII. This is the only documented case of her participating in competitive sport since 1987.